


A Worthy Heart

by lucidscreamer



Series: 100 Yu-Gi-Oh Prompts [36]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Archaeology, Blood Magic, Egypt, Gen, Origin Story, POV Mutou Yuugi, Spirits, Variations on Ancient Egyptian Religion, excavations
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-07
Updated: 2020-09-07
Packaged: 2021-03-06 23:53:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,822
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26343691
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lucidscreamer/pseuds/lucidscreamer
Summary: Egyptologist Yugi Mutou learns the hard way why you shouldn't bleed on the artifacts.An origin story.
Relationships: Atem & Mutou Yuugi
Series: 100 Yu-Gi-Oh Prompts [36]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1266368
Comments: 23
Kudos: 67





	A Worthy Heart

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh! is the creation of Kazuki Takahashi. No ownership of the canon characters, settings, or events is claimed and none should be implied.
> 
> Prompts:  
> 54\. Ancient (100 YGO Themes)  
> 10\. Ritual (Paranormal 25)
> 
> NOTE: The inscriptions are paraphrased and jumbled up but they are inspired by actual ancient ritual formulas. The ritual shown here is entirely fictional.

Sitting back on his heels, Yugi Mutou took a moment to rest and contemplate the artifact he'd uncovered after hours of work in the cramped, hot stone chamber. This particular chamber, a natural cave carved out of the limestone hillside by centuries of flash floods and erosion, wasn't even supposed to contain anything of interest. Grandpa had done the initial survey himself and decided to concentrate the season's efforts elsewhere on the site. Since they had already discovered a new burial in one of the rock-cut tombs on the other side of the hill, everyone was happy with his decision. Everyone except Yugi, who felt an irresistible pull to keep exploring this cave system. Grandpa had humored him by letting him dig a few test pits. Until he'd hit the edge of this stone, Yugi hadn't found anything but sand, small rocks, and a few disgruntled scorpions unhappy about being disturbed by his digging.

This pit was different. It had yielded the edge of a stone block or maybe a stela; either way, clearly a manufactured artifact. Removing the accumulated debris revealed deep carvings on the upper face of a large slab, hieroglyphic writing chiseled deeply into the dark stone. It was black granite, a difficult stone to work, and must have been quarried elsewhere and transported to this cave. The visible inscription reminded him a bit of those placed before a false door in a tomb or shrine, with a channel around the border of the stone table to collect libations poured over the offering formula. 

Despite several hours' work, he'd only uncovered what he thought was about half of the upper surface of the stone. Yugi was covered in sweat from his efforts, as the air in the small chamber was heavy with desert heat and no hint of a relieving breeze. The portable lights he'd carried with him only added to the discomfort. His back and knees ached from hours hunched over on the cave floor as he dug, and his fingers cramped on the handle of his trowel. He wiped his brow with the back of one hand, then peeled off his gloves and reached for his canteen. The water was tepid but soothed his parched throat as he gulped it down.

As he rested, Yugi unpacked his lunch: pita bread, some fava bean hummus topped with a layer of olive oil and herbs, and a packet of cookies for dessert. While he ate, his gaze kept returning to the hieroglyphs. Soil and sand had filled in some of the spaces around the glyphs, making them difficult to read but he could make out a few words here and there.

"Hm. '...eat the bread of... anoint with' something 'oil'...'" That didn't sound like an offering formula, but he'd barely begun to uncover the inscriptions. It was too soon to figure out what they were going to say, even though he couldn't stop himself from trying. Impatient to discover more, he ate quickly, packed away his trash, and went back to digging.

Another half-hour's work uncovered more of the inscribed stone, which turned out to be much larger than he'd originally believed. Yugi estimated he'd only cleared half of the slab's surface, or maybe even less. More rows of incredibly detailed hieroglyphs were gradually revealed by his brush. As tired as he was, curiosity kept pushing him to complete his task and free the stone from its prison of sand. The closer he came to the center of the slab, the greater the compulsion worried at him. 

He crawled onto the stone, bracing himself on his knees and one hand while using his other to brush away the debris in a frenzy of motion. He could make out a strange design now, like nothing he'd ever seen on any monument or artifact: an inverted pyramid shape with a stylized eye at its center. The eye -- human, with the falcon markings and a "tear line" that resembled the facial markings of a cheetah -- could've been either the Eye of Horus or the Eye of Re since they shared similar characteristics. The Eye of Horus was associated with the moon and was a powerful protective amulet, but the Eye of Re was associated with the sun and... Well, its power depended on the specific myth, of which there were several. In one tale the Eye of Re was placed on the forehead of the god Atum as a reward for it having completed a task set by Atum. In another, the god Re placed the Eye upon his own forehead as the uraeus which then became a symbol of kingship. In that aspect, the Eye of Re was also a symbol of protection, though mostly of the pharaoh.

With that in mind Yugi spent a moment going over the carvings again, more closely this time. Solar symbols along the section of the outer edge that he'd uncovered caught his eye. Not enough were clear of the substrate for him to read the inscription, but he spotted a reference to the pharaoh (a solar disk before a duck, so "son of Re") and the stock phrase "given life eternally like Re" which followed it. That was a funerary epithet, which would make sense if this chamber were part of a tomb. But why would a pharaoh have been buried in such an out of the way location and not in the one of the royal necropolises? Not to mention that this cave couldn't even be called an "unfinished" tomb. If anything it was more like a tomb that hadn't even been started. The walls were bare, unworked rock. There was no hint of decoration or grave goods, only this single slab of polished granite. Maybe he was wrong and this wasn't a tomb, but what else could it be? The slab didn't appear damaged so it probably hadn't been discarded here. If this was some kind of cache... Yugi shook his head. The only way he'd find out was to keep digging.

Working quickly despite his fatigue, Yugi cleared away as much of the debris as he could from the top of the granite. It would take at least another day to fully excavate the stone's upper surface, and longer than that to free the stone so that the sides were completely visible. But in the meantime, it seemed imperative that he be able read the inscription around the central carving. After another hour's work, he sat back and ran his hand over the lines of hieroglyphs. They were beautifully carved, so detailed that the birds had delicate individual feathers and the serpents sported tiny scales. The finely-grained black stone was so highly polished that it seemed to glow in the lantern light.

Squinting, Yugi tried to read the line directly beneath the Eye. For some reason he found it difficult to focus on the hieroglyphs. The air above them almost seemed distorted. It reminded him of the heat-shimmer that produced mirages of water on desert treks. Still, if he leaned close and concentrated he could make out a few words.

"'I come before you.... I speak with my own mouth, I act with my own strong arm...'" That sounded like the kind of declaration you found in magical texts. Was this a spell of some kind? If this was actually a funerary inscription, that would make sense. He brushed away more dirt loosened by his tools and traced the next line with one finger as he read it aloud. "'My voice is true... My heart... speaks in my... defense'? Hmm."

There was a formula found on heart scarabs, amulets that were placed within mummy wrappings, that read: _My heart, do not speak against me_... That was so the deceased's heart wouldn't testify against them before Anubis, though. This seemed different.

"'Before the Great Ones... an offering of..." 

Now this was weird. The standard offering formula was so common, and had remained unchanged for so long, that it could be (and frequently was) reduced to shorthand. But this... This wasn't the standard offering formula. Maybe he was translating it wrong? Yugi wiped sweat out of his eyes and tried again.

""Before the Great Ones, an offering of a... true heart and a strong...' vessel? Body?" 

That almost sounded like human sacrifice, but that couldn't be right. Muttering to himself, he cleared away more of the accumulated debris. Most of it was loose, but some had solidified into a concrete-like substance that he had to carefully chip away then remove with his hands so as not to damage the carvings. As he worked he repeated the phrases aloud, trying to puzzle out their meaning. He paused a few times to sip from his canteen, noting that it was almost empty. He'd have to call it a day soon. At least he had proof that his time had been well spent. This cave was definitely not devoid of interest, he thought as his hands freed another line of writing.

"'I bring you ma'at and repel isfet for you.'" A dedication ritual, maybe? This stone was confusing the heck out of him. Whatever it was meant to do, it was unlike anything else he'd ever seen or heard of.

Thinking that the inscriptions above the central pyramid might shed some light on the subject, Yugi began trying to uncover them. Unfortunately, the upper half of the slab was beneath more of the solid accretion so it was slow-going. His hand slipped and he hissed as the chisel bit into his palm. He dropped the tool, uninjured hand grabbing the wounded one in an attempt to staunch the flow of blood from the deep cut. Blood trickled through his fingers, dripping onto the Eye and painting it red as the liquid filled the indentations in the carving. Cursing his clumsiness, he fumbled for his bandanna and wrapped it around his hand. Then he racked his brain for something he could use to clean the blood off the slab. Maybe he could...

As Yugi watched in horrified fascination, his blood sank into the granite leaving the surface unmarred. Unable to believe his eyes, he pressed his fingertips to the Eye of Re. The stone was as dry as if the blood had never touched it. How was that possible? He leaned closer for a better look--

\--And yelped as blinding light exploded in his face. He flung himself backward, knocking over and extinguishing one of the lanterns, and landing on his back. He blinked and rubbed the vision back into his eyes, opening them to see that the light had faded to a normal level. Well, almost normal. The Eye was glowing softly, barely noticeable in the remaining lantern light. But it was what was happening above the Eye that held him frozen in shock.

Darkness gathered there. Darker than the gloom clinging to the walls, so dark it was like a hole in space, the shadows gathered above the gleaming Eye. That soft light seemed to attract the shadows rather than repel them. They swirled like smoke in the still air before pulsing once, twice... a visual heartbeat. The cave filled suddenly with the scent of ancient incense, of frankincense and cinnamon and myrrh. In the center of the writhing mass something darker still _bloomed_ like a lotus bud opening at dawn. The light from the lantern gave the dark mass edges as it opened its "petals", limning them in gold. Like the flower it resembled, the shape grew larger as it unfurled, lengthening and stretching its limbs, forming a torso, a head as it assumed a humanoid shape. Its lower limbs touched the slab and became slender feet. The featureless head turned, fixing Yugi with an eyeless stare. He stared back, certain his heart would pound right out of his chest.

"Oh, god..." Yugi swallowed around his awe and terror. "What... What _are_ you?"

The... being... didn't so much step out of the darkness as _extrude_ from it, trailing tendrils of shadow behind it like a ragged cloak that connected it to the main mass as it glided toward Yugi on silent feet. He lay frozen, unable to look away from the power radiating from the otherworldly creature. It stopped inches away, head tilting as it studied him. An arm lifted, the hand forming as it leaned down and reached for him, darkness dividing into long slender fingers that traced his profile in the air. So close... Yugi could feel the cold of that phantom touch on his skin. It tingled from the ethereal contact. Or maybe that was the fear making him lightheaded. He gasped in a stunted breath.

"W-what...?" Yugi couldn't find any words for all the questions clamoring in his head. Was this really happening? Or was it a hallucination brought on by heat and dehydration? If it was real, then what kind of entity was standing before him? Could he even communicate with something so alien? "Can you understand me?"

The dark shape stepped back. With some space to breathe, Yugi could see that the being was still changing, looking more human with each passing moment. The mannequin-like silhouette filled in, color and detail crept across the shape like frost painting a winter window with lacy patterns. Black hair tipped in blood-scarlet sprang up from the head, streaks of gold framed a sharp-edged face with high cheekbones and large, kohl-rimmed eyes. Sun-kissed brown skin covered the being's fully formed shape and reflected the light with a faint metallic shimmer. As Yugi watched, the delicate outlines of feathers traced themselves in brighter gold over the being's upper arms and torso, as if adorning his skin with cloisonné. The feathers were incredibly detailed, easily recognizable as falcon feathers by their distinctive patterns of darker and lighter browns against the being's bare skin. Yugi's gaze drifted lower and spotted obvious evidence that the being was physically male -- and completely nude. Heat raced up Yugi's neck to color his cheeks and ears. Hastily, he forced his gaze back to the being's face. 

"S-sorry, I--" Oh, god. All the blood that had drained from Yugi's face came back in a rush of mortification. How did you apologize for ogling a... whatever this entity was. Spirit? Elemental? Really intense hallucination? 

The being tilted his head in an almost birdlike manner, as if puzzled by Yugi's reaction. He studied Yugi for a moment longer then made a graceful gesture with one hand.

As if they had been awaiting the command, the shadows leaped forward to twine about the being's body. Swathes of shadows transformed into black linen, two of which crisscrossed over his chest to form a sort of shirt from which the original tattered cloak still flowed. A larger panel twisted into pleats and wrapped itself low about his hips to form a layered kilt that reached to his knees. Smaller ribbons of darkness encircled his biceps and wrists to become golden arm bands and bracelets. A broad jeweled collar settled on his shoulders and on his brow rested a crown of stars. He looked like an ancient king... or a god.

Now clothed, the being folded his arms over his chest and gazed down at Yugi with sharp carnelian eyes that seemed to pierce Yugi's very soul. The weight of that regard would've buckled Yugi's knees had he been standing. He fought to stay conscious and mostly upright despite the way the room was spinning around him and his vision graying at the edges. Yugi's pulse pounded in his ears, almost drowning out the being's voice when he spoke.

"You have summoned me," the being said, in a voice as deep and cold as the midnight sky. It echoed in Yugi's skull as if the voice had bypassed his ears and plunged straight through his brain. "Now I must judge your heart to determine if you are worthy of the burden." 

The being spread his arms wide and shadows flew out to envelop the room, sealing them inside a dome of writhing darkness. Electricity danced along the surface of the dome, casting them in eldritch light and highlighting monstrous faces leering at them from the shadows. 

_Welcome to the Twilight Zone_... Yugi stared at the weird sight, wondering if he had passed out and was dreaming all of this. Movement drew his gaze back to his strange companion. Real or hallucination, the being's presence filled the space and commanded Yugi's attention.

Leaning down again, the regal being extended one hand. The faintest of smirks lifted the corners of his stern mouth when Yugi hesitated to take the offered help.

"Come, O Summoner," the being said. He seemed pleased when Yugi tentatively grasped the hand and was pulled to his feet. Then the being's grip tightened and a shining Eye (exactly like the one on the stone) appeared on his forehead. In a voice of velvet and steel, he intoned, "Let us play a Game..."

The Beginning...

**Author's Note:**

> This is Yugi's superhero origin story. It may become a series if there's interest in it.
> 
> Edited to fix some typos and refine a few sentences.


End file.
